One Year Later
by tiggyblue
Summary: It's one year to the date of Skyler's death and Skyla has a rough night ahead of her, as she tries to cope.


AN: Hey, this idea came to me after reading a really sweet poem that could have been about Skyler and Skyla, and then listening to _head over feet_ by Alanis Morissette. I'd recommend you listen to the song before or while you read this. (I don't own the song,)

One Year Later

It was one year to the day after Skyler's death.

Skyla had cancelled all her classes and had only left her cottage once to retrieve the bottle of vodka she kept in her desk drawer. She wasn't much of a drinker maybe an occasional shot or two to help her get though the hard times, but it was getting worse every day.

"Skyla where are you going with that?" Sonya one of the cooks and friend asked.

Skyla tried to clear her mind so she would appear normal and not plastered like she actually was. She hiccuped, "Oh Sonya, I ran out of my favourite wine, and I just wanted a drink before bed,"

"It's seven o'clock," Sonya said looking at her watch.

Skyla tried desperately to think of her next lie but her head was too hazy and hurt terribly. She realized Sonya was still waiting for an answer, "I was making a milkshake, and I thought I could make it a little more fun," Skyla shook the bottle. Another hiccup.

"It is hot," Sonya said trying to rationalize the situation so that she didn't have to find out the woman she admired was an alcoholic.

"Would you like one? I think I have enough for two," Skyla lied her head becoming clear it was time for another drink.

"No thank you," Sonya was turning to leave when a thought occurred to her, "Where did you get that from?"

"My desk drawer. I keep it there because it locks. Heaven knows what would happened if a student broke into my cottage and stole it,"

Sonya considered that for a moment, it made scene and while she'd seen Skyla drink before she'd never seen her tipsy. It was probably just a coincident. She let the nagging feeling be and walked away.

Skyla waited until she was gone before taking two hits from the bottle. That was better. The burn in her throat racing down to her stomach relived her from thinking. A milkshake, now there was an idea.

Skyla lurched out of the academy's centre and towards her little cottage. She was laughing at her constant tripping, for a dancer she was not light on her feet at the moment.

As soon as she made it inside of her house she congratulated herself with another hit. She examined the mickey glad it was mostly full. She tripped over the shoes she had just taken off and headed for her small kitchen. She grabbed for the blender, ice cream and the mickey.

Skyla felt proud of herself for being able to function so well as she looked for something to top the drink off with. "I thought I had some chocolate syrup here somewhere," Skyla said aloud. "Found it!" She cried reaching to the back of the cupboard. She stumbled over to shut off the blender, "Now for the alcohol," She said pouring more in forgetting she already used over half the bottle.

"Whoa!" Skyla shouted taking a sip of the drink that was more alcohol than anything else. "That's strong," She made a face and then took another sip.

"MUSIC! I need music," Skyla moved to her living room, she checked her tapes but their was nothing but love songs, "These are crap! I need good rage music!," She snapped one of her favourite tapes before turning on the radio,

_I want it that way_, by the backstreet boys Blasted though her speakers. "Crap!" Skyla screamed before changing the station. _The Power _by Snap! Came on next Skyla was attempting to do the fancy footwork of the men. She actually wasn't doing too bad considering how drunk she was. "Check me out world I can dance drunk!" Skyla yelled to no one. She fell onto her bed and changed the radio station one last time.

"I had no choice but to hear you"  
"You stated your case time and again"  
"I thought about it"

Skyla's tears began to fall she knew the song and it wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"You treat me like I'm a princess"  
"I'm not used to liking that"  
"You ask how my day was"

Skyla tried to stop her tears to no avail. She was his princess he told her everyday.

"You've already won me over in spite of me"  
"And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet"  
"Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are"  
"I couldn't help it"  
"It's all your fault"

Skyla buried her face in her pillow, when she realized she loved Skyler she fell hard.

"Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole"  
"You're so much braver than I gave you credit for"  
"That's not lip service"

The death spin. Skyla tried to wipe her eyes, but more tears quickly replaced them. "Skyler," She finally let herself really cry. Really morn him for the first time letting all her emotions out. She screamed into her pillow as the song continued.

"You've already won me over in spite of me"  
"And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet"  
"Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are"  
"I couldn't help it"  
"It's all your fault"

"I can't do this with out you,"

"You are the bearer of unconditional things"  
"You held your breath and the door for me"  
"Thanks for your patience"

"You're the best listener that I've ever met"  
"You're my best friend"  
"Best friend with benefits"  
"What took me so long"

Skyla slammed the radio off, took her remaining vodka and stumbled out the door an into the forest around the school.

The rest of the night was a blur as Skyla continued to drink away her problems. When the bottle was empty she cracked it on the ground it shattered. "What if I jump!" She screamed to the cliff leaning over the edge. The scene of vertigo quickly over took her and she leaned against a tree, and passed out a short while later.

Skyla was completely hungover as she laid on her back totally clueless to how she had ended up on the ground under a tree on the far side of the school. Not knowing what to do she watched the sun come up, a broken bottle in her hand. She crawled to knees, her stomach trying to revolt. "I'm alive," She whispered.

She tried to remember what happened last night, the memory slipping from her grasp. The only thing she knew was that she made it though the night, "Skyler I'm alive," She whispered.

"Maybe I can do this,"


End file.
